Pac-Man

Eurogamer.net (UK) (10 out of 10) (100%)

Regularly heralded as the 'most popular game of all time' Pac-Man might not have been drenched in graphical splendour, but its sheer addictive nature meant it was one of those titles you couldn't ever forget. Let's just be happy that we didn't end up with its original title, Puck-Man. Just say it out loud and you'll discover why.

Defunct Games (A) (100%)

Pacmans longevity is down to your patience and motivation. Are you a score freak? Or are you a gamer that likes to get to the end (if that's you, go elsewhere, this game is about SCORES baby!)? For me playing Pacman is just a joy, so I play it just for the thrill, but there is disappointment for score junkies as there is no backup to save your best scores, so a good memory and trusting score rivals are a must. Overall Pacman is a lot to do with taste, but I'm gonna score it anyway, it's a top rate conversion of a top rate game and suits the Neo Geo Pocket extremely well.

Questicle.net (A) (100%)

Like “Thriller,” “The Godfather” or “Star Wars,” Pac-Man was a social phenomenon that really was as good as the hype. Thirty-two years after the game’s release, the little yellow half-eaten pizza remains one of the most memorable mascots in all of gaming-dom. Good show, Pac. Good show.

Video Game Critic, The (A) (100%)

The ghosts look suspiciously similar to their Atari 2600 "cousins", but at least hey don't flicker. Control is no problem despite the Intellivision controllers. You really couldn't ask for much more.

Sega Power ( ) (100%)

The famous lemon chomps his way through the blue maze while avoiding the colourful ghosts (yet again). Love it or loathe it, this still remains a brilliant conversion of the coin-op, with graphics and sound effects straight from the original.

Sega Power (92 out of 100) (92%)

Pac-Man just goes to show you that simple ideas are often the best. It's so well done and so highly addictive that you'll find it hard to stop playing once you've started the thing. This is ideally suited to the Game Gear. Without a doubt, you must get hold of a copy of Pac-Man - whatever the cost!

Video Game Critic, The (A-) (91%)

Pac-Man not only passes the test of time, it actually improves with age! I swear I have more fun playing this now than I did twenty years ago. Boy, I can't wait for another 20 years to pass - then it will really be awesome! Seriously though, this cartridge must have been a slice of heaven back in 1982. The maze, sound effects and gameplay are nearly identical to the original arcade game - down to the intermissions! The gameplay is FAST, noticeably faster than the arcade, which makes it more fun and challenging in my opinion. Blinky is particularly aggressive. The wobbly 5200 controllers might cause you to miss a few turns at first, but they actually work well once you get a feel for them. The only fault with the graphics is the single-colored ghosts which look like they belong in the 2600 version. With eight difficulty levels, Pac-Man is always a good time.

Power Unlimited (9 out of 10) (90%)

Pac-Man, een van de eerste populaire arcadespellen, is volgens velen nog steeds een fantastisch spel. Nu en dan verschijnt het spel dan ook nog steeds opnieuw. En iedere keer blijft het weer even speelbaar als vroeger.

Video Game Critic, The (B+) (83%)

This version of Pac-Man is a step down from the arcade in terms of graphics, but the gameplay is just terrific. It looks just like the Atari 5200 version, but this Pac-Man moves slower, which makes it harder to nab ghosts. You can choose from 9 skill levels, and the control is dead-on. The graphics are fair overall, but could have been better. The dots and power pills are blocky, and the ghosts have black eye sockets instead of moving eyes. I was also a bit disappointed that the intermissions are not included. Oh well, at least the Pac-Man "death" animation is faithful to the arcade. The fruit looks good, but always seems to disappear just as I'm about to pass over it (rats!). This is a challenging version of Pac-Man, and it's fun to play too.

Sega Does (B+) (83%)

Pac-Man is an eternally great game, and the Game Gear port is better than the funky NES or Game Boy versions… but it’s not a system seller. And hey, maybe it was never intended to be. With little available information about the Game Gear port on the Internet, I might be digging too deep into a conspiracy theory of my own making. I just find its late January release date fascinating. Pac-Man was the 12th release on the Game Gear (in Japan, anyway), and the first title on the system with potential mass-market appeal. Sega must have hoped a solid Pac-Man port would make their handheld more enticing to a wide variety of demographics. Given the Game Gear’s limited reach in Japan (the system only sold 1.6 million units in four years on the market), I doubt it made much of an impact.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (82 out of 100) (82%)

As a conversion, Pacman is just about perfect - and as a Game Gear laff it's superb! Ok, it may be dated, but this is still a fine title - so grab it!

Xboxdynasty (XD) (8.1 out of 10) (81%)

Pac Man ist DAS Videospiel das jeder kennt oder jeder kennen muss. Die Spieler die Pac Man nicht kennen sollten sich schämen. Damit dies die neue Generation an Videospielern unter den Xbox 360 Zockern nicht machen muss ist dieser Arcade Download sehr zu empfehlen.

App Spy (4 out of 5) (80%)

This port of Pac-man for the iPhone plays exactly as it would on arcades. The control options handle well and players are able to continue their game from where the left off if the application is quit. It is a little disappointing to see there are no online leaderboard options, and unfortunately the gameplay remains to be a bit repetitive. But if you are a fan of Pac-Man then this is a solid port of the original and well worth a look at.

N-Force (80 out of 100) (80%)

The original Pac-Man was released in 1980. Twelve years later the game's just as playable and has me addicted all over again. Okay, so the graphics aren't the best, but it will always be a hit with me.

Edge (8 out of 10) (80%)

A remarkably simple concept but one that is unique and immensely rewarding in succinct doses.

Retro Gamer (80 out of 100) (80%)

What you have here is good old-fashioned Pac-Man and while it's as playable as ever, is not quite as good value for money as Namco's excellent iPhone remake of Ms Pac-Man. The price is certainly appealing, but it's really hard to recommend when Ms Pac-Man is little more than a download away.

Mean Machines (80 out of 100) (80%)

PacMan's simple gameplay makes it an ideal arcade conversion for the Gameboy. The two screen modes is an excellent idea, and since this version packs all the features of the coin-op (including the intermission screens), PacMan fans are bound to go nuts over it.

TalkXbox (80 out of 100) (80%)

I have always been a Pac-Man fanatic. Its simplistic gameplay may seem dull and outdated in contrast to today’s multi-million dollar productions, but one fact about Pac-Man remains intact even after all these years. That fact is simply it is still darned fun to play. Throw in some achievements, leadersboards and a nifty price tag of only five bones, and you’ve got hours upon hours of classic gaming to be had.

All Game Guide ( ) (80%)

If you are one of the millions of people who love Pac-Man, and you can't afford or you don't have room for the real thing, Pac-Man for the NES is the game for you.

Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library ( ) (80%)

Simplistic in form, in practice it is a game that is definitely more than the sum of its parts, as the iconic mascot, memorable sounds, short story cutscenes (the first ever in a video game), and smooth gameplay combine to make a fun and memorable experience.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (8 out of 10) (80%)

Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde. Welcome back. If it wasn't for Pac-Man and his relentless pursuers many of us might not have been lured into the gaping maw of videogames in the first place. When I first got pulled in by this gaming tractor beam, I was barely tall enough to see the arcade cabinet's screen, but lure of dot-munching proved instantly irresistible. It's easy to embellish these things after the fact, but Morpheus himself may as well have been standing there offering me the blue pill of normal life, or the red pill of a lifetime of staring at a screen, open mouthed. As it turned out, the four yellow power pills on offer inside the maze seemed way more interesting: it turned the ghosts blue, ma! Watch me eat them.

ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) ( ) (80%)

Well, what is there to say about the original arcade classic that hasn't already been said? Not much, except that it's now available on the Sega handheld and isn't bad at all.

Popular Computing Weekly ( ) (80%)

Overall the game has excellent graphics, fast and colourful, and the game also makes good use of the Vic's rather meagre sound capabilities.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (24 out of 30) (80%)

Atari Pacman is probably the most authentic arcade conversion ever made, rivalling Acornsoft's Snapper and Commodore's Jelly Monsters.

Atari Gamer - XL-XE Game Review Edition (8 out of 10) (80%)

That is not all though, this A8 translation also has the intermissions that appear between levels and tell Pac-Man’s story. Most importantly of all Atari got the gameplay spot-on here and it really does play like a dream with the good old CX-40 joystick. So to sum up, this Pac-Man conversion, in stark contrast to the 2600 one, has everything that made the arcade game so great. So with that said, if you love Pac-Man, then a purchase of this game for your collection really is a no-brainer.

ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (796 out of 1000) (80%)

Overall Pac Man (the name derives from 'pacu', which means 'eat' in Japanese) has converted well to Nintendo's handheld. All the ghost-evading playing tricks still work, and none of Pac Man's charm has diminished over the years. While some may regret the lack of mazes (there's just the one on offer), most will find this a more than welcome addition to their software library.

Games-X (79 out of 100) (79%)

Classic arcade action is Pacman, although hardly original in today's market. This classic tag could fall both ways. However, Pacman does succeed because it fits into the Game Boy's image of neat, simple games with bags of gameplay.

Sega Pro (UK) (79 out of 100) (79%)

Okay, so this ain't exactly new, but for pure nostalgia it wins hands down.

Play Time (78 out of 100) (78%)

Als man mir das Spiel Pac Man überreichte, wurde mir gesagt, ich sollte mein Hauptaugenmerk auf den 2-Playermodus legen, denn mit diesem alten Spiel (immerhin schon 12 Jahre), könnte man keine Katze mehr hinter dem Ofen hervorlocken. Dem kann ich nur zustimmen, aber was soll eine Katze schon mit einem Game Boy Modul? Außerdem wird ein Spiel (bzw. eine Spielidee) nicht schlechter, nur weil es älter wird. In meiner Kiddy-Zeit war Pac Man der absolute Renner und ich kann Euch nur raten, laßt Euch dieses Spiel nicht durch die Lappen gehen.

Retroage (7.6 out of 10) (76%)

W historii gier pojawiają się czasem takie pozycje, które wywracają wszystko do góry nogami i sprawiają, że nam graczom opadają przysłowiowe szczęki. Są takie pozycje, które są na tyle innowacyjne, że wyznaczają nowe standardy i kierunki rozwoju gier. Są w końcu również i takie, które porażają oprawą audiowizualną. Tak się akurat składa, że w historii elektronicznej rozrywki jest dosłownie kilka gier, które spełniają wszystkie te warunki. Jedną z nich jest Pac-Man.

Commodore Force (75 out of 100) (75%)

Obviously, by today's standards, the game amounts to a big round zero but it's unforgettable all the same.

Jeuxvideo.com (15 out of 20) (75%)

Malgré la simplicité de Pac-Man à plus ou moins tous les niveaux, celui-ci se classe tout de même parmi les quelques jeux rétro devenus mythiques et incontournables.

GameZone (7 out of 10) (70%)

If you are an adult gamer who grew up on Pac-Man, you will probably enjoy this trip down Memory Lane as much as I did. The game is great to play in short spurts, when you just want to kill 5 - 10 minutes playing something. Don't go into it looking for Splinter Cell and you will be happy.

GotNext ( ) (70%)

I hate to jump on the soap box, but it just seems to me that this game should've offered more. I think all the diehard fans and newcomers it's attracted over the years deserve it. Besides, If I spend 400 Microsoft points to relive an arcade classic, offer me something that's going to keep me coming back. Like most XBLA titles, the achievements are a breeze (most of them simply involve collecting fruit in a particular level), especially with the ability to pick up from the last level you left off. But, where does one go from there? Nothing against high-score junkies, but not everyone wants to devote their time to that. Hopefully Namco will put forth a tenth more effort when Pac-man's other half comes to Xbox Live.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (7 out of 10) (70%)

My main criticism is that the Pacman is difficult to negotiate through the maze as the keys that move him tend to stick. Once you press a key to move him he will continue in that direction even when you take your finger off the key.

All Game Guide ( ) (70%)

Other than that small complaint, if you're looking to take Pac-Man on the road with you, the Game Boy version fits the bill.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (7 out of 10) (70%)

The only downside is that, while it's preferable to the GBA re-releases in terms of price, this VC release still isn't great value. It looks rather sparse compared to the slightly cheaper and enhanced Live Arcade version, which also has the advantage of being the original not an emulation of a console port and is therefore worthy of that notorious 8. This, however, only gets...

Nintendojo (6.9 out of 10) (69%)

Dearest reader, what else can I say? For those of you who just skipped down to this part of the review, and you few devoted alike, I’ll recap in a couple sentences. Pac-Man shall always be an entertaining experience for all eternity, on any console, regardless of the technological evolution. Being that so many versions are available however, at even cheaper prices, there’s not much reason to invest in this port. Obviously, in creating the Classic NES line, Nintendo was merely entertaining the novelty value of the golden days. And that’s all that Pac-Man for the Game Boy Advance is –- a novelty.

TeamXbox (6.9 out of 10) (69%)

When it comes to classic video game characters, most gamers (at least above the age of 20 or so) are taken back to images of an Italian plumber name Mario that sports a well-trimmed mustache, or an amphibious frog with the need to constantly dodge traffic and other sorts of death dealing hazards. Another classic gaming icon (now making his way to the Xbox Live Arcade scene) is that of the little yellow eating machine known as Pac-Man. Recently unleashed on Live Arcade (in conjunction with the Xbox Live Wednesdays program that ran this summer) gamers both young and old can once again experience the joy of eating pellets, fruit, and ghosts as a tiny yellow vacuum cleaner known as Pac-Man. But, is this download worth the price of admission after all of these years and releases?

JoyStik (6.7 out of 10) (67%)

Yeah, we know it doesn't look and play exactly like the original. All the Ghosts are the same color and don't change much once Pac-Man eats an energized dot. You must rely primarily on your ears - not your eyes - to time your Ghost attacks. Another problem with the home game is the joystick. With so many intricate moves through the maze, it becomes downright frustrating when the joystick doesn't respond accurately to your movements. And then there's the maze itself. It's horizontal, rather than vertical in the arcade as Pac-Man. Enough of that, though. In the end, we have a lot of fun with this game. And the reason for that concerns the actual game play. Once you begin to master all of the grid's turns and paths, you'll find Atari's game to be challenging and rewarding. All in all, Atari's Pac-Man is a very good home-video game. It might even make you forget you ever saw or played the original.

Wiiloveit (20 out of 30) (67%)

If you love Pac Man, then we'd recommend this (despite the controller sometimes not responding immediately) but since it is just the same old level over and over and over with some basic but not-very-enticing presentation, you'd probably be better off playing it online for free.

PC Magazine (12 out of 18) (67%)

The PC Pac-Man is nearly identical in design, sound effects, and appearance to the arcade version. However, the play is somewhat sluggish by comparison and occasionally unresponsive to the joystick. The PC version allows you to select the level of maze at which you want to start, and there is a pause and reset control. However, there is no joystick adjustment routine. In speed and ease of play, Pac-Man seems to suffer in comparison with some of the more recent IBM PC arrivals such as Lode Runner, which was written specifically for microcomputers, and J-Bird, which is a clone of the arcade hit Q-Bert. Nevertheless, the daddy of them all has arrived on the PC, and it is probably worth a place in the collection of any serious gameplayer.

IGN (6.5 out of 10) (65%)

You really can't say that you have a collection of classic arcade games available on any system without Pac-Man. With countless clones and gameplay that has stood the test of time, Pac-Man can evoke nostalgia in just about every gamer out there. If you've played Pac-Man before, you won't find anything new here. This is the old-school game that has stolen your quarters since the advent of the arcade with little else to pique your interest. Pac-Man on the XBLA is a good arcade port, but it will probably leave you wanting a bit more.

Retro Gamer (64 out of 100) (64%)

For some reason, everyone's favourite pill muncher is really fiddly to control, and it's all to easy to shoot past a turn you want to make and barrel straight into a ghost. It's almost as if the game has actually been programmed to pick up diagonals or something instead of just having four-way controls - it's just a real effort to play. A shame, as the online leaderboards are just begging for highscore input. Die-hard fans will still download it anyway, but be prepared for a lot of frustration.

Nintendo Power Magazine (3.2 out of 5) (64%)

Namco turns an arcade classic into a Game Boy hit! This version of Pac-Man let's you compete against a friend in maze-to-maze action.

Atari Times, The (63 out of 100) (63%)

Other then a few alternations the game still has all cool Pac Man trademarks like colourful graphics and cute sound effects all right here. Pac Man is still kind of fun though even with the odd controller, but be aware that this is a little on the hard side now and it may be for everyone.

GameSpot (6.3 out of 10) (63%)

Pac-Man is one of the greatest games of all time, and it's difficult to dispute that fact. But if you're just now getting around to checking out this 1980 arcade hit, you might not immediately get why Pac-Man was such a big deal in the first place. And with its bare-bones, stick-to-the-script presentation and some nagging control issues, this Xbox Live Arcade version of Pac-Man manages to be a little disappointing, even if (or perhaps, especially if) you're already a fan.

Game Freaks 365 (6.3 out of 10) (63%)

Overall, this game isn’t bad. It’s just that far better games of this type are available on the Atari 2600. If you can’t find Ms. Pac-man, Jr. Pac-man, or one of the decent Pac-man clones, this game is enough to keep you entertained, but if you already have Ms. Pac-man or Jr. Pac-man, I would recommend not pursuing the addition of this game to your collection unless it is for collection purposes.

GameSpot (6.1 out of 10) (61%)

Ever since Pac-Man first appeared in arcades back in 1980, countless renditions of the game have been produced for different video game consoles, computers, cell phones, watches, and other electronic gadgets. Some versions duplicate the look and feel of the original arcade cabinet better than others. Namco's Nintendo Entertainment System version, which was first made in 1993 and is now available from the Wii's Virtual Console, is one of the better ones. Pac-Man and his ghostly enemies behave just like they do in the arcade game, and the graphics and audio are mostly spot on. The $5 price for Pac-Man and Pac-Man alone seems a little steep compared to the recent Namco Museum and Xbox Live Arcade releases, but this is a decent way to play Pac-Man at home if you don't have access to those other options.

IGN (6 out of 10) (60%)

It's highly probable that anyone that would be interested in downloading this latest VC release may very well already own the game as part of a collection, on another system, or perhaps even an original arcade unit. As already mentioned, this is a truly respectable and accurate port of the original. Yet if it's already present in your gaming library, there's really no need to download it again. Further, much to the chagrin of purists, some even argue that Ms. Pac Man is an all-around better game -- that may even ultimately see a VC release itself. And once again, with Nintendo opting for the quick-and-simple releasing of ROMs onto the VC (instead of opting for extra features like an online scoreboard on Xbox Live), your 500 Wii points may be better burned elsewhere.

Nintendo Magasinet (Sweden) (3 out of 5) (60%)

En klar klassiker som gör sig i varje Power Players samling. Den nya Gamelink-möjligheten adderar en ny dimension till den redan enkla men mycket roliga iden. Ett litet minus för att man får väldigt ont i tummen efter ett tag.

Portable Review (24 out of 40) (60%)

Overall, if it weren’t for Pac-Man Collection and the high price, Classic NES Series: Pac-Man would have been a great game for arcade fans on the GBA. The one thing that saved it other than being fun in its own right is that Pac-Man Collection lacks a save function. However, if I were to choose between the two, Pac-Man Collection is significantly superior solely because of this inclusion of Pac-Man Arrangement.

Total!! UK Magazine (60 out of 100) (60%)

Classic arcade gameplay, addictive fun and arcade perfect graphics but too expensive and too late. Why wasn't this released years ago?

Joystick (French) (60 out of 100) (60%)

Doté d'un scrolling vertical, permettant d'avoir une meilleure vision de l'aire de jeu et de plus gros sprites à l'écran, celui de la Gamegear n'étant pas bien large (même si elle est la plus grande des consoles portables) est tout de même d'un intérêt assez limité, sa durée de vie restant assez courte, le jeu étant trop répétitif pour vraiment être intéressant.

Pixel-Heroes.de (6 out of 10) (60%)

Da Pac-Man so ein großer Hit wurde, kann man natürlich auf nahezu jedem System eine Version dieses Spieles finden. Eine mir sehr gut bekannte Umsetzung existiert für den guten alten Brotkasten alias C-64. Das Spielprinzip wurde bis auf die Grafik und die etwas langsamere Spielgeschwindigkeit, die an die Leistung des 8-Bit-Rechners angepasst werden mussten, ohne Veränderungen übernommen. Ob das Spiel aber ebenfalls nach dem Level 255 endet oder weitergeht, kann ich nicht sagen.

Video Games ( ) (60%)

Fazit: Pac-Man ist in dieser Version höchstens etwas für den extrem kurzen Zeitvertreib zwischen zwei Bushaltestellen. Da war Namco einfach faul.

UOL Jogos ( ) (60%)

Um dos primeiros mascotes e recordista do livro Guinness, como fliperama mais vendido da história, com 293.822 máquinas, "Pac-Man" perdeu parte de seu charme, e seu corpinho perfeitamente redondo sente o peso da idade. Como em "Galaga", faltou a modalidade extra multiplayer e a lista de conquistas não oferece desafios. Para colecionadores, os 400 Microsoft Points (o equivalente a US$ 5) são justos para se rever um marco dos games, mas para conquistar novos fãs essa versão de "Pac-Man" precisava de mais vitaminas.

411mania.com (6 out of 10) (60%)

Again, this really comes down to your love for Pac-Man. For the hardcore, you’ll get what you’d expect and the ability to show your stuff on XBL for bragging rights will keep those Pac-Man lovers happy. If you already own the game however or you expect something more from a regular arcade port, then maybe you should spend your Microsoft Points elsewhere. All in all for 400 MS points, it’s not too expensive, and if you don’t already have this game on any other console (like me), then you should be chomping away at this Namco classic!

Nintendo Life ( ) (60%)

Regardless of its shortcomings, Pac-Man is one of those games that remains timeless. As we've already established, the graphics are really primitive and the sound is sparse but it's not a huge issue as the gameplay remains as addictive as ever. Pac-Man is from an era where the challenge of a videogame was all about scoring as many points as possible, and even today this has a certain appeal to it.

FNintendo (6 out of 10) (60%)

Pac-Man é uma referência incontornável no universo dos videojogos. A sua fórmula simples continua acessível a qualquer jogador, experiente ou iniciado. No entanto, com tantas versões disponíveis no mercado, muitas delas inseridas em colectâneas que apresentam inclusive variações do Pac-Man original (como Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions já analisado pelo FNintendo), não será muito difícil para o jogador optar por uma versão mais completa em conteúdo e menos fiel às restrições do original, que na sua essência é bastante limitado. Na Wii U estão a ser disponibilizados clássicos pela módica quantia de 30 cêntimos, um preço bem mais apropriado para este Pac-Man que pelas razões já apontadas, está à venda por um valor demasiado alto, independentemente da importância histórica que Pac-Man carrega consigo desde 1980.

GameTrip.net (6 out of 10) (60%)

Pac-Man a marqué l’histoire des jeux vidéo, c’est un fait. Sur Arcade, il est connu, reconnu, joué et terminé par les piliers de comptoirs depuis des années. En y rejouant, on se rend vite compte que c’est fun et rapide, très simple, trop simple pour figurer toutefois dans les annales, si ce n’est pour son ancienneté dans le parc vidéo ludique. Pac-Man, Tetris, même combat.

Game Hoard, The (4 out of 7) (57%)

Pac-Man is well designed for quick play sessions, navigating the maze and grabbing all the dots complicated by ghosts with a varied set of AI instructions that provide a fluidly shifting danger. Power Pellets let you turn the tables as well, but if you do put in some time playing Pac-Man, the single incredibly symmetrical maze design not only loses some of its charm but you can begin to intuit ways to safely snag a good amount of pellets before the danger sets in. Pac-Man is still a game that will likely require some reactive play once you’ve started to understand its design and its reuse of the one layout doesn’t truly feel repetitive so much as it prevents play from evolving over time. Save for the changes to Power Pellets and bonus fruits you get about the same experience in Round 1 as you will round 201, but for a casual bit of quick play, its limited design doesn’t bog it down and gradually emptying the maze of dots can still provide some entertainment.

XBox Evolved (5.7 out of 10) (57%)

I wasn’t fortunate to have had been alive for the original advent of Pac-Man back when it hit the arcades for the first time in the early 80’s, still I have grown to love the little guy. Pac-Man itself is of course a huge icon that makes you think of the 1980’s, videogames, and for some strange reason pizza. If you don’t already know, you control a yellow Pac-Man, chomping his way through a maze for little tasty dots and fruits, avoiding ghost, and bringing down the ghosts’ defenses, so that he may gobble them up as well. When all the little dots are gone, the level is done and you move to the next round.

64 Power / big.N / N Games (57 out of 100) (57%)

Bis heute existiert kein Beweis, dass Level 256 lösbar ist. Er existiert zur Hälfte des Bildschirms aus wirren Zeichen - vermutlich wegen damaligem Speicherplatzmangel. Wer es schafft, möge uns ein Beweisfoto schicken...

neXGam (5.6 out of 10) (56%)

Dieses Spiel objektiv zu bewerten fällt schwer. Nüchtern betrachtet ist es eine grausige Spielhallenumsetzung. Grafisch mau, Sound kaum vorhanden und die Spielelemente vereinfacht. Im Kern aber bietet Pac-Man auf dem Atari 2600 genau das, was das Spiel einst so groß machte. Deshalb nicht von der verhältnismäßig niedrigen Wertung abschrecken lassen und Pac-Man eine faire Chance geben. Zumal es den Titel auf Flohmärkten und Internet Auktionshäusern nahezu geschenkt gibt.

GameSpot (5.6 out of 10) (56%)

Paying $20 for an accurate port of an inaccurate port is somewhere between getting incorrect change at a gas station and highway robbery on the swindle scale. Unless you're a completist going for the whole Classic NES Series or you're some sort of fiend for the NES version of Pac-Man, this rerelease really isn't worth your time or money.

Total! (Germany) (3.25 out of 6) (55%)

Außer Frage, daß Pac-Man für heutige Maßstäbe nichts, aber auch gar nichts in Sachen Technik bietet. Es gibt wie beim Automaten nur ein Labyrinth bzw. Level (nur der Schwierigkeitsgrad steigt von Runde zu Runde), die Grafik ist extrem spärlich und der Sound verhältnismäßig spärlich. Dennoch weiß das Game auch heute noch zu gefallen. Sicherlich nicht mehr so wie anno dazumal, aber immerhin. Allerdings werden nur echte Pac-Man-Fans auf längere Zeit Gefallen an dem Kult-Programm finden. Wer Pac-Man nicht kennt und den auch nichts mit dem Gelbling verbindet, der wird das Ganze wohl ziemlich doof finden...

X-Power (5.5 out of 10) (55%)

Wil je snel wat extra puntjes voor je gamerscore dan kun je deze versie van Pac-Man natuurlijk wel overwegen. De eerste elf achievements zijn met gemak op een uurtje te halen. Alleen de laatste dertig punten zijn al iets uitdagender, maar mits je er wat tijd investeert niet onoverkomelijk. Pac-Man kan je nu niet onmiddellijk als een slechte game beschouwen, maar het enige probleem is en blijft dat deze 27-jarige dinosaurus in de 21e eeuw, heel wat van zijn charme verloren heeft. De mensen met een versie van Prey kunnen zelfs naar hartelust een spin-offversie, Runeman, uitproberen op één van de spelmachines in de bar. Heb je vroeger veel plezier aan Pac-Man beleefd, dan kan je met de nodige dosis aan nostalgie deze titel eventueel nog eens oprakelen - verwacht alleen geen al te langdurige ervaring.

Power Play (53 out of 100) (53%)

Diesen Herrn im zeitlos-gelben Grinse-Outfit muß man nicht mehr vorstellen. Namcot hat es geschafft, den Spieleklassiker pixelgenau auf den Game Boy zu übertragen: Beim Spielen fühlt man sich 10 Jahre jünger. Nichts wurde weggelassen, nichts hinzugefügt.

Video Game Talk ( ) (50%)

Pac-Man is a wonderful game to revisit from time to time, but the full version offers nothing that the demo can't provide. Without multiplayer modes, decent achievements, or visual upgrades, the Xbox Live arcade version of Pac-Man is but a joke. Why do certain developers seem complacent to provide little improvement when bringing their ancient titles to Live Arcade? Pac-Man is certainly not worth 400 points and should be demoed only for a quick Pac attack fix. Save those expensive marketplace points for arcade titles from hardworking developers like Ninjabee, Garage Games, or Bizarre Creations.

GamesRadar (5 out of 10) (50%)

A true coin-op classic, Pac-Man ushered in the wave of non-shooting "cute" games in 1980 and gets credit as gaming's first pop-culture phenomenon. That's great, he's historically important - but do you still want to hang out with him?

Player One (50 out of 100) (50%)

Cette cartouche est la copie fidèle de la borne d'arcade d'origine... Seulement la borne en question date de près de quinze ans ! En tant que vétéran de ces temps reculés, j'ai éprouvé une certaine nostalgie, mais je me vois mal vous conseiller cette « vraie fausse nouveauté ».

IGN (5 out of 10) (50%)

Yes, you're getting a decent, full-screen version of Pac-Man with the Classic NES Series version. But that's not really all that impressive considering it's already been available on the GBA since the system's launch, and in a package that's a much better value. If you must get the game to complete the collection, go for it...but the version here doesn't offer anything more than what's already shipped for the system three years ago.

1UP (C) (50%)

Then again, a bigger issue with this edition of Pac-Man is that the GBA already has an excellent version of Pac-Man; actually, it's a collection which contains several Pac-Man games. And it usually goes for about $15 -- cheaper than Nintendo's suggested price for the NES Classic titles. Unless you're hung up on the prospect of collecting the entire NES Classics set, you're definitely better off with Namco's Pac-Man Collection. Or better yet, the fantastic NGPC version of the game. Sure, Pac-Man is Pac-Man, but why settle for less than the best?

Fragland.net (50 out of 100) (50%)

So therefore my conclusion is simple. There are so much other and bigger NES Classics than this Pac-Man available, which don't cost you one dime more. But if you have the inexplicable urge to play with the most famous yellow dot in the world once again, then there are other cheaper and better alternatives. But this little snack isn't worth any of your precious money or time.

Tilt (3 out of 6) (50%)

L'ancêtre ou le pionnier, le meilleur ou le moins bon, quoiqu'il en soit l'authentique Pac-man des machines d'arcade intègre le C 64. Un moment de nostalgie qu'il serait idiot de se refuser, malgré les rides de ces vénérables logiciels.

Video Game Critic, The (C) (50%)

The control could be better. The Neo Geo Pocket's tiny joystick isn't as responsive as it could be, so you'll need to begin your turn slightly before reach an intersection. In addition, I was disappointed that this game doesn't save the high score. How hard would that have been? Pac-Man pales in comparison to other games for the Neo Geo Pocket, but it's still good, clean, old-school fun.

Kombo.com (5 out of 10) (50%)

Technically, Pac-man has already made it onto a Game Boy Advance cartridge in Pac-man collection, and if you count Ms Pac Man in Namco museum. This makes it very difficult to justify a purchase, if the game is available for less, and it even has more games included. So I would say unless you are a collector, I would just steer clear of this title.

Retro Game Reviews ( ) (50%)

+ Sound effects are very faithful to the Arcade original. + Intermission cut-scenes are included to entertain and give the player a short break. - Doesn't save your high scores despite this being the main gameplay objective. - The analog stick isn't very accurate for four-way directional movement and many times you lose a life it's not your fault. - The full screen option allows you to see more of the playfield, but you'll have to squint due to the small LCD. - The Scroll option zooms in the action, but incoming enemies are hard to spot when they gain speed in higher levels. - Offers nothing over the original 1980 release and the lack of extras or new modes make it poor value for money.

Mean Machines (49 out of 100) (49%)

There's not really much to tell about this one. PacMan is an arcade-perfect conversion of the classic coin-op. If PacMan is your bag, you'll no doubt pee your pants over this one. Others are more likely to have a few goes and then get bored with it pretty quickly.

FreezeNet (44 out of 100) (44%)

Overall, the only charm found in this game was the challenge it presented in strategically working your way through the maze avoiding the ghosts which grew faster and faster with each passing level. If it wasn’t sold as a home version of the arcade game, I would say the game play was at least decent, but because of the marketing, I would say this game was a flop. The graphics were terrible. The audio had little memorable about it. Unless you were in this game for a small challenge, there was hardly anything to praise in this game. So, I would say this game should be avoided if you are looking for the arcade experience.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (42 out of 100) (42%)

Very basic and extremely repetitive. Fun for about half-an-hour at most. A great leap backwards in gaming thrills. For mad people only.

Press Play On Tape ( ) (40%)

Heb je de beschikking over Ms. Pac-Man (ook voor de 2600), dan is er geen twijfel welke variant superieur is. Door de jaren heen hebben hobbyisten laten zien dat met creatief programmeren en een 8k cartridge een betere variant mogelijk was geweest. Pac-Man symboliseert voor mij het begin van het einde voor de VCS2600, geen moment is er door Atari aan kwaliteit gedacht.

Le Geek (2 out of 5) (40%)

For a title that caused a dent in Atari’s reputation and is often cited as one the games that started the industry on the path towards the videogame crash of 1984, it's certainly not one of the worst games of all time, and it can be fun on its own merits. Based on gameplay alone, Atari’s Pac-man a guilty pleasure at best, but considering its infamy and how common it is to find, it probably belongs in your collection.

Pocket Magazine / Pockett Videogames ( ) (40%)

Quand Namco a annoncé développer sur Neo Geo Pocket, on a imaginé voir débarquer un Tekken ou un Ridge Racer. Eh bien, on devra se contenter de la boule jaune la plus célèbre du monde, j’ai nommé Pac-Man ! Le jeu est une reproduction fidèle de la borne d’arcade. Si l’écran vous semble peu lisible, vous pouvez agrandir l’affichage grâce à un scrolling. Mais il est alors difficile de prévoir l’arrivée des fantômes. En appuyant sur Pause, on peut changer de vue, mais cela casse le rythme du jeu. Cette cartouche est sympa... un moment. On aurait préféré plus de tableaux, voire plusieurs oldies regroupés sur la même cartouche. A noter, une rondelle de plastique est offerte pour bloquer le stick dans les quatre directions et éviter les « dérapages ».

IC-Games (40 out of 100) (40%)

In the end a blatant rip off like this could only happen on a console or handheld. Imagine what would happen if this was released today on the PC for £15 in this state? There would be a riot. Still, Pacman collectors will purchase this offering regardless and of course if you suffer from that “must have them all” nature then by all means go and complete the whole NES Classics collection – none of the games are terrible, some are just plainly not worth the £15. Retro gamers who are desperate for a Pacman fix should hold off and purchase the older (and much better value) collection which already has three different versions including 'the classic' version anyway. Our only advise would be to steer well clear of this one or at least buy the only NES Classic game worth its salt, the Super Mario Bros version.

Gamekult (4 out of 10) (40%)

Pas de surprises, pas de révolution, Pac-Man est égal à lui-même et reste un titre diaboliquement difficile mettant à l'épreuve votre sens de l'anticipation ainsi que vos réflexes. Jouer au chat et à la souris avec les fantômes sera le coeur du jeu avec quelques Pac-Gums répartis ici et là pour inverser les rôles dans les moments critiques. Les graphismes réduits à leur plus simple expression ne cachent pas leur âge et les bruitages rigolos sonnent exactement comme à l'époque. S'il ne fait pas de doute que les plus jeunes se demanderont comment leurs aînés ont pu scotcher des mois durant devant ce titre si basique, les vieux fossiles du jeu vidéo en quête de nostalgie pourront y puiser quelques bonnes sensations. Une cartouche qui reste idéale pour de petites parties improvisées d'une dizaine de minutes, mais qui se prédestine donc uniquement à un public très spécifique.

Home Computing Weekly ( ) (40%)

[Datasoft version]
This is undoubtedly a very well presented version of the vastly popular arcade game. I cannot help but feel, however, that with the excellent state of other software available - amongst them many other US Gold titles - the purchase of this is a piece of pure nostalgia.

8-bit Central Retro Gaming ( ) (40%)

Pac-Man was legendary in arcades for simple concept with insanely engaging game-play. this legendary status also came with the Atari 2600 release, but for different reason. It sucked ass with legendary magnitude. As a kid, I got a kick out of playing it at home, but the experience really made me want to go back and play in the arcade. Pac-Man is best played on a more advanced platform.

Zzap! (35 out of 100) (35%)

The graphics and sound are very similar to the arcade original and this is the best version for the 64. It's a nice game but considering its age would be better suited with a far cheaper price tag.

Play Time (34 out of 100) (34%)

Grafik und Labyrinthanordnung wurden 1 :1 vom Orginal übernommen, was zwar nett klingt, aber doch eher bescheiden aussieht. Die Steuerung ist stark gewöhnungsbedürftig, da Richtungsänderungen schon vor der eigentlichen Aktion angegeben werden müßen. Dies kann leider dazu führen, daß im Lauf einer Verfolgungsjagd, in Bereichen mit mehreren Abzweigungen, leicht mal die falsche angesteuert wird, was sich dann mit einem lauten Mampf bemerkbar macht.

Woodgrain Wonderland (D+) (33%)

For those who say that 2600 Pac-Man is still a fun game, I kind of agree. I can’t deny that I have had some fun with the game over the years. But there are so many maze games for the 2600 that are clearly superior; they may not be licensed Pac-Man but they are still better at what they do. The obvious ones in this category include Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man, but there’s also Mouse Trap, Alien, Jawbreaker and Lock ‘N’ Chase. None of these games have nearly the amount of flicker that Pac-Man has. All of them control much better as well.

Game Shark (D+) (33%)

As GameShark’s official Xbox Live Arcade reviewer, I know enough about the service to say it has some great sleeper hits on it. Games like Geometry Wars, Cloning Clyde and Uno have made playing the games on the service quite a joy. On the other hand, playing arcade rehashes has started to become a chore.

HonestGamers (Staff reviews only) (3 out of 10) (30%)

The work put into that cartridge kind of made me look at it as Atari's apology to us gamers. It obviously wasn't a PERFECT port, but there were multiple colors of ghost; fruit was bouncing around the mazes ready to be gobbled for bonus points and every couple times you cleared a maze, the lay-out changed. Now that's how to make a worthy console version of a game!

Atari HQ (3 out of 10) (30%)

After all is said and done, this version is a slap in the face to Pac-fans, and the worst Pac-Man game in history. If you want a 2600 Pac-fix, you'll be better of with Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man, two far superior arcade translations.

Digital Press - Classic Video Games (3 out of 10) (30%)

You could almost forgive Atari if they had just tried to simulate the arcade game in terms of its gameplay, but they failed there as well. The layout is completely different than the arcade and the blocky walls and oversized dots completely alter the atmosphere. A huge scoring display and boxes that represent “number of Pac-Mans left” add to that non-Pac, squarish feel. One good thing about the game is the control - I had fewer problems “missing the turn” than on other Pac-clones, probably because the openings are so large and the game moves so slowly that you really can’t miss! A truly forgettable experience. In fact, forget you even read this review and get on with your life.

1UP! (29 out of 100) (29%)

Mais c'est surtout la motivation qui manque. Dans un jeu vidéo, refaire les niveaux autant de fois que nécessaire pour passer aux suivants est une chose, mais refaire un niveau pour passer toujours au même n'est pas une perspective réjouissante. Les seuls qui voudront bien accrocher sont les vieux de la veille rongés par la nostalgie et les chasseurs de score obsédés par leur proie. Et encore, ils lui préfèreront sans doute la borne. Pareillement, la réalisation minimale ne plaira qu'à ceux qui s'intéressent plus aux versions précédentes du jeu qu'aux autres jeux de la console. Il est plus beau que l'infâme version Atari 2600 — maigre consolation !

Retro4Ever (2.5 out of 10) (25%)

Overall, Pac-Man for the 2600 is certainly not worth your time or money. While it does feature multiplayer, it would be hard to honestly find two people who truly want to play this game for fun. I feel bad for Tod Frye because he certainly doesn’t deserve the blame for this game. It was even brought up in the development stage that gamers wouldn’t be happy playing this port, but it was dismissed by the higher-ups. Frye did the best he could with the hardware he had. Whether or not the sales of Pac-Man led to the Video Game Crash of 1983 or not is up for debate, but what isn’t up for debate is how terrible this game ends up trying to represent the arcade version. It’s a time waster at best, and with apologies to Swagz, that’s more than reason enough to stay away from this version of Pac-Man.

Video Game Critic, The (D) (25%)

This is Pac-Man by name alone, and it has "rush job" written all over it. Even so, the game is playable, and if you select a tough difficulty level you'll have your hands full. Atari would later release fantastic renditions of Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man, but the damage had already been done.

Defunct Games (D) (25%)

For all the talk of "bringing the arcade home," the Atari 2600 was incapable of delivering arcade perfect experiences (save for Pong). I could accept imperfection if the resulting port was still fun. Pac-Man lost all the appeal that the arcade version had, and it wasn't enjoyable enough to stand on its own merits. I could accept that the circumstances weren't ideal for Tod Frye (too short a development calendar and too small a cartridge), and at least the game is functional. However, this port is simply not fun. At a time when you could get a faithful port of Pac-Man on your smartphone, don't waste time with this one. It may not be as bad as its reputation suggests, but it's bad enough.

Atari Times, The (20 out of 100) (20%)

To sum it up, this title is for die-hard collectors only who feel they need it to complete their library of games. There's not just a lot of fun to be had from this awful offering, in fact. If you're looking for a good version of Pac-Man, go with Ms. Pac-Man and leave this game alone. It'll just frustrate you.

Jeuxvideo.com (3 out of 20) (15%)

Nintendo a le chic en ce moment pour se moquer un tantinet des gens. Bien que j'adore cette société, ils prennent vraiment les joueurs pour des idiots au pouvoir d'achat conséquent. Ce Pac-Man en est l'illustration évidente. Au lieu de le glisser amoureusement dans une compilation, comme l'a fait Namco par exemple, big N se permet de nous proposer une version "simple" ne correspondant pas du tout aux attentes du public. Au lieu de promouvoir cette légende, il la décrédibilise, et subit du coup le même sort.

Mag'64 (1.5 out of 10) (15%)

„Pac-Man“ – ein Klassiker alter Schule, der in der vorliegenden Version nur noch jenen Spielernaturen gefallen dürfte, die ihn der Vollständigkeit halber gerne auf ihrem 3DS wissen möchten. Ansonsten gibt es kaum einen Grund, das Spiel heutzutage für vier Euro (!) zu kaufen. Der Umfang ist ein Witz, alle Levels wiederholen sich – bis auf die Punkte-Früchte.